Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-18
LONG AND SHORT HAu1s.

ISdn FRANCISCO Call, Aprll lJtl.
Here where every one knows that the
Chronicle often uses its influence adversely
to the public interests, its remarks in refer
ence to the long and short haul clause in
the Interstate Commerce Act may be passed
over with a smile. But as it can be mis-
taken in the East for an organ of Califor-
MAN opinion, and as such NAV be used by
New York concerns who are interested in
driving our wool, and our wine. and our
raisins, and our canned goods out of the
markets which they have struggled so hard
to reach, it is proper that it should be ex-
posed, that its absurdities should be laid
bare and that its fallacies should be refuted
more seriously than it would otherwise
deserve.
The notion which it endeavors to pro-
pound is that the long and short haul
clause of the Interstate Act is calculated to
protect California manufactures and as oil
interference with business in the shane of
protection is good, therefore the section in
question is commendable. 1t is unaware
for its Ignorance is on par with its logic
that this State is a producer of raw pro-
ducts and of products which have only un-
dergone one process of handling: that
its products of what are strictly classed
as manufactures is very small indeed
and will so remain until the popula-
liOii VI Lie Quasi DtCOIlleS nluCn Q6nSer
than it is. We make capital boots and
shoes here, but not more than half what
our people consume; we make excellent
wooden cloths at the Pioneer Mills, but
they have to go East for market: we have
only two rolling mills, of small capacity
all or nearly all the hardware, the cotton
goods, the dress goods, much of the furpi-
ture, the rubber goods. the fancy goods that
are used on this coast come from the East
and no amount of protection in the shane
of increased railroad freights would alter
this, simply because the consumption of
this coast and its tributary country is too
limited and too diversified to warrant the
establishment of manufacturing plants on
an extensive scale for the present. If we
manufactured more heavily we should
have to rely on the East for market, and
high freights would operate against that
business.
What California does produce is wheat.
wool, wine, brandy, dried fruit, green fruit.
citrus fruit, beans, hops, hides, honey
canned goods, mustard, raisins, and the
like. OF every one of these articles the
State has surplus, which must he sold to
the East or go TO waste. OF course. every
additional cent which is charged as freight
on these articles is just SO much out of
the pocket of the California producer. and
nearer the market. To argue that the long
and short haul clause is beneficial to this
State is to say that it is to our advantage to
curtail our production and to shut ourselves
out of the markets where alone our products
can be exchanged for money.
See how the thing works Our sugar re-
fineries are competing with Eastern rein.
cries in the Missouri valley markets. Un-
der the long and short haul clause the rail-
road holds that it must charge so much on
California sugar that our people will no
longer be able to compete. Our refners APP
ply to the Commission for suspension of
the clause. Instantly fourteen sugar re-
finers of New York and Philadelphia pro
test, and demand that the Commission shat,
uphold the clause, in order to secure to
them monopoly of the Missouri river
markets. Again. Every one knows what
a hard fight our raisin-makers have had to
conquer position in the New York mar
ket in rivalry with the Spanish raisins.
Now comes the long and short haul clause
and up go railroad freigbts on California
a box on Spanish raisins Yer whom NO